


Yellow Acacia

by Henryhenry_nicholls



Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, M/M, Misunderstandings, also being dumb, doing soft and pure stuff, flower symbolism, soft and pure lads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 03:57:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18461009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Henryhenry_nicholls/pseuds/Henryhenry_nicholls
Summary: Trent sat on the couch and plucked the strings of his guitar quietly, he wanted to get out now before his dad brought another despicable suitor to meet him, but he knew his father would track him down and he’d no longer have the opportunity to turn down suitors who he despised.Trent is royalty but the boy who he doesn't realise he loves isn't. What's a boy to do in that situation.





	Yellow Acacia

**Author's Note:**

> Royalty au of the lads. This was written about a year ago but only posting it now. Sorry if the characterisation is wrong or if i like insult anyone with my choice of like villain. Anyway it's cute and i managed to squish an entire story into like 3000 words so! It's fun!! Also sorry about the choice of despicable prince, i don't like actually hate him.

Trent sat on the couch and plucked the strings of his guitar quietly, he wanted to get out now before his dad brought another despicable suitor to meet him, but he knew his father would track him down and he’d no longer have the opportunity to turn down suitors who he despised. He didn’t think he could handle that, some of his suitors didn’t know that what they were doing wasn’t great, but some of them were pure evil, like the last guy who decided to try and marry up with someone of the same gender while being openly homophobic, his father was making sure that Trent’s marriage would create a beneficial alliance to the kingdom, but that man had taken it too far and his father had seen him out the door personally. He was glad his father had been helpful on that one, and that his father was allowing Trent’s chief advisor Kane help him with these meetings. He heard a knock on the frame of the open door and looked up to find that Kane had appeared at the door and was entering the room, he moved to Trent’s side and put a hand on his shoulder. Trent looked up at Kane and put the guitar down before reaching up to hold Kane’s hand for emotional support.

“Your father’s on his way, he’ll be here soon. Are you ready for this?”

“No, god. I hope this guy is at least nicer than the last one though.” Kane hummed in agreement, at least they both agreed the last guy was a dick. Although them both agreeing on things wasn’t that uncommon, they’d been raised together and had quite similar opinions on a lot of things. 

“Your royal highness, His majesty the King.” The announcer quickly stepped out of the way and exited the room. Trent tried to ignore just how quickly Kane had removed his hand as the herald came in and focused on trying to get a glimpse of his new suitor.

“Prince Steven Smith, of the neighbouring kingdom, Australia. I hope he’ll be to your liking my son.” Trent smiled weakly at his father as he left to attend to important business matters, and glanced briefly at Kane to seek guidance before taking in the man in front of him. The man was shorter than him, but not by much, had blond hair and kind of looked like a frog. Trent didn’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, every prince needed to kiss a frog after all, and besides frogs weren’t all that bad, he quite liked them.

“Uh, hello?” Trent’s hand twitched nervously. He hated meeting new people.

“What Prince Trent means is that he’s pleased that you are here and would love to start getting to know you.” Trent looked at Kane gratefully, his dad would be furious if he fucked this up because he was incapable of talking around new people.

“Well Prince Trent, I saw you had some rather extensive gardens outside, if you would like to escort me around them, that would be wonderful.” 

“Ah yes the gardens, come with me and i’ll show you my favourite flowers, you’ll love them, ooh, i’m so excited!” Kane chuckled and Trent looked at him in confusion, why was Kane giggling? He’d think about Kane later, right now there were plants to attend to. He took Prince Stevens arm and led him outside, into the gardens. Upon seeing the first plants Trent immediately started chatting about plants and art while pointing out his favourite flowers, including the yellow acacia his all-time favourite flower.

“So what’s the deal with that fellow back there? You seemed very intimate, does he warm your bed, or is it more an affair?” Trent choked, he and Kane, together, as a couple, never! Besides Kane wasn’t gay. Not that Trent would have an affair with him even if he was. Prince Steven coughed politely and Trent remembered that he had to answer the question.

“No, he’s one of my advisors, we’re friends.” Trent stated firmly, trying to keep a waver out of his voice.

“Oh, you’re friends with servants? You must still be a child then, I don’t know of anyone other than children that are friends with servants, and if you are a child i’m unable to marry you. I can’t marry a child. There can be no engagement!” Trent stopped, his dad wasn’t going to like this but honestly this guy was an asshole and Trent didn’t want to marry him. Besides this outburst was kinda scary, Trent wasn’t big on yelling.

“Oh, I mean you may be an asshole but at least you’re not a pedophile. That’s good right.” The other man snarled and walked back in the direction that he came from, casting an angry look at Trent over his shoulder. Trent rolled his eyes, why weren’t any of his suitors decent people? Like how hard is it to be kind, Kane’s kind why isn’t anyone else? He just wanted to be engaged to someone nice. He headed over to the yellow acacia tree they had in the yard and picked a branch of flowers before heading back to his room to await an audience with his father. 

“Trent? You’re back early.” Trent looked at Kane who was playing his guitar on the chair next to Trent’s bed.

“Yeah, he was an asshole, I told him I was your friend and he called off the engagement right then and there.” Trent sat on the bed near Kane and told him exactly what had happened. “And you know what’s worse? I told him my favourite flower. Speaking of, do you want this?” He held the branch of yellow acacia out to Kane and smiled. “I’m sorry he was so rude about you.” Kane took the offered branch with a slightly sad looking smile.

“Thanks, but it wasn’t your fault, it was entirely his. I’m keeping the acacia though.” Trent grinned, his dad wouldn’t be happy but he was feeling a lot less afraid now that he’d talked to Kane. 

Kane gathered his things and headed out the door offering one last reassuring smile as he left Trent’s room, Trent wished Kane could stay with him while his father told him off but the king would never allow that.

“Another one, Trent…” The king sighed as he walked in through the door, Trent shrugged halfheartedly, because technically yes he’d driven away another suitor. “So what was it this time, this one wasn’t homophobic as well was he?”

“I don’t know, he was pretty classist and rude about Kane.”

“Trent honey, you’ve got to stop relying on Kane to get you through these meetings. Can you try and meet the next suitor without Kane there?”

“But dad, I need hi-”

“I know, try and do it without him though, he won’t be able to rule the country for you when you’re king, so you should start learning how to take care of yourself now. Just meet this next suitor without him and if it goes horribly he can be there for the next one, okay?”

“Yes dad.” Trent bowed his head, he didn’t want to do it without Kane, that would take away all the fun.

“Good, now get ready for dinner, you can’t be late after this incident.” His father walked out of the room, leaving Trent feeling hollow inside.

\-------

Trent was sitting under an acacia tree weaving the yellow flowers into a fabric headband, it was almost time to go inside and meet his next suitor and Trent was scared he wouldn’t be able to do it without Kane by his side, the other man always knew exactly what to say and Trent, well Trent didn’t. Trent wove the last flower into the fabric and stood up, turning to face the castle doors, Kane was heading towards him, most likely to tell him it was time to go inside. 

“Kane, dearest, light of my life.” Trent singsonged to his friend.

“Save it for your prince, loverboy.” Kane joked breaking into a smirk as he finished the sentence. 

“I just wanted to crown you as the king of my heart.” He teased, placing the flower crown on the shorter mans head. Kane laughed and fixed the flower crown so it was sitting properly on his hair.

“Thank you Trent, now go meet your prince. And Trent?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Behave yourself.” Trent grinned widely at the other man before turning and heading towards the castle doors.

\------

Trent felt like he was walking on sunshine as he walked into the palace’s great hall, he looked around for who he was supposed to be meeting, his father was standing up the front with a young man around Trent’s age. Trent walked towards them and smiled at the young man.

“Hello, you must be Prince Christopher Woakes of England.” He took in the man’s features, Chris was taller than him , with light brown hair and blue eyes that were more of an intense colour than Kane’s soft baby blue ones, Chris’ cheeks were pink and he looked excited, this could actually not go horribly. The man in front of him was looking like a decent fellow.

“Hi, yes that’s me please just call me Chris though, and you’re Prince Trent Boult, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said reaching out his hand for a handshake, Trent took it and smiled at the other man.

“The two of you are having dinner on the top balcony tonight. Trent, if you could lead Prince Chris up there now your food will follow shortly. Trent smiled again and led the other man up to the balcony in awkward silence. The two men sat down at the candlelit table and Trent started racking his brain to try and figure out what to say.

“So Trent, what do you like doing?” Trent almost sighed with relief, he no longer had to start the conversation.

“Uh, I enjoy playing the guitar. Do you like music?” 

“Yeah I love it, do you think you could play me something sometime? My boyf- Sorry nevermind. I just mean my friends used to play music for me.” His what? Ah well, it’s not important, just as long as Chris doesn’t hate music.

“Yeah, i’d love to. What about you what do you enjoy doing?”

“Oh um, I like sports and art, I fence sometimes.”

“Oh don’t be modest, my father told me you’re a champion fencer, if you wouldn’t mind teaching me some things i’d love to learn more, yaknow self-defense and all.” Chris nodded and the two of them slipped into easy conversation about topics that interested them. Trent thought Chris was a good person but he was unsure about marriage to him.

\------

“Kane I just, i’m not sure about this.”

“You don’t really have a choice. He seems nice though, you could do worse.”

“I have done worse, I just don’t want to marry him!” Kane sighed, Trent knew he was annoying him. “I’m sorry, but Kane, I don’t love him.” Trent saw pity in Kane’s eyes, and he regretted admitting his fears.

“Trent, you’ve known for years that you’d wouldn’t be marrying for love, why does it matter so much now?”

“I just- like, he’s nice but i want more i-” Trent stopped he couldn’t say what he wanted, not here, not now. Shit, Trent didn’t even mean to want what he wanted. “I have shit I need to do, i’ll see you later.’

“Trent wait, I know your timetable. You don’t have anything to do, TRENT.” Trent walked away trying his hardest to not look back. He couldn’t talk about this to Kane, he definitely couldn’t talk about this to his father, and it was unlikely that talking about this to Chris would be a good idea, but actually as he thought about it, Chris may be the best person for him to talk to, I mean they were the ones that would be getting married.

\------

“Trent please, stop pacing. What’s up?” Trent paused his pacing to glare at Chris. He wasn’t ready to admit what was up, he was still trying to clear his head so he didn’t blurt something stupid.

“Were- were you dating someone before you got engaged to me?” Chris inhaled sharply.

“Yes, I loved him, I just- I didn’t have a choice, You’re not bad though.” Trent blinked, he hadn’t expected Chris to be so forward. “Why do you ask?” Fuck, Trent didn’t think he could answer this, there was no way he could answer the question without revealing everything.

“Um well, I mean, no reason.” Chris raised an eyebrow at Trent who went red. “Okay, well you’d said something about a ‘boyf-’ and I kinda filled in the blanks. Also do you like still love him?” It was Chris’ turn to blush and his cheeks turned a warm pink.

“I- um, yeah kinda. Yeah, I do still love him.”

“Oh uh same, me too. I mean not your boyfriend obviously, someone else.” Chris chuckled as Trent stumbled over his words.

“I kinda gathered that you weren’t in love with my boyfriend. But um maybe we should not get married if we are both in love with other people.” 

“My father wants me to get a political alliance with my marriage and i don’t think he’ll be happy if I don’t manage that.” 

“What if one of us adopted the person that the other is in love with.’

“You mean our dads adopted them, right? That may work if my dad adopted your boyfriend, but the person I love doesn’t know that I love him.” 

“You know, he could be okay with that, I can contact him and then we can talk to your Father together.”

“Thank you Chris, Brothers?”

“Brothers.”

\--------

“We’re thinking about calling of the marriage.” Kane choked and looked at Trent, from by the door of Trent’s room which he had just walked into.

“What but- Trent, you have to marry someone and he’s nice, don’t tell me your still looking for love.” Kane’s voice was harsh and Trent felt as if he was being stabbed. 

“That’s only part of the reason Kane, he has a boyfriend who he’s in love with. Who am I to break them apart. Chris is talking to his boyfriend first then we’ll talk to my dad. I wanted to tell you though because you’re so important to me.” Kane grimaced and Trent wondered what he’d said wrong.

“I mean that’s reasonable, but Trent you shouldn’t care so much about me at some point i’ll have to leave you. I already stopped you getting married once, I won’t do it again.” Kane turned as he finished his sentence and headed out the door. Trent’s stomach felt like ice and he crumpled to floor as though he’d been stabbed. He put his head in his hands and started to cry, Kane didn’t want to be near him, Kane didn’t want to be cared for by him and Kane obviously didn’t believe in finding love. 

\-------

Trent was still curled up on his floor the next morning when Chris came by to tell him what had happened with his boyfriend. He was starting to feel like he never wanted to move again, he didn’t care what happened he didn’t even look up when he heard the door being opened.

“Trent? Hey, are you okay?” Trent whimpered and lifted his head slightly to look at Chris, as soon as he saw the other man he started crying again. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong Trenty?”

“He-” Trent broke off with a sob, “He said he- he’d have to leave. I- I don’t want him to go.”

“Oh honey, come here, come here.” Chris sat down on the floor and held Trent tightly, Trent was glad he had Chris, He wasn’t sure what he’d do without him. “I’m guessing you probably don’t want to go and see your father right now?”

“He- he said yes?”

“Yeah, he said yes.”

“Then we have to go see my father, he can’t fix everything but he can fix this. Chris we have to.” Chris nodded, and removed Trent from his lap before standing up and extending a hand for Trent to take. “Thank you Chris, for everything.” 

“Of course Trent, we’ll be family soon anyway.”

“Anything for family, right?”

“Anything for family.”

\--------

The two men waited outside the door to the Throne Room nervously, They had planned well and now they just had to talk to Trent’s father who could blow the whole plan out of the water. “Hey Trent?” Trent looked up at Chris questioningly, he wondered what was on the other man’s mind. “I was reading a flower language book in the library and you know your favourite flower, the yellow acacia?”

“Yeah, what does it mean?”

“Well the meaning that most people know is friendship.” Trent realised he’d given a branch of these to Kane, oops he’d accidentally friend-zoned him. “But,” Trent looked up, “Another less well known meaning of them is secret love.” Oh, oh yeah okay, so apparently Trent had accidentally revealed everything via flowers and Kane had just misunderstood.

“Come in.” The boys both jumped as Trent’s father called out from inside the Throne Room, Trent looked at Chris, which didn’t reassure him as much as he would have liked, and the two men walked inside the room. “What brings you two lovebirds here to my humble abode?”

“Uh yeah about the lovebirds thing dad.”

“Don’t tell me you’re calling off another engagement, Trent. This one was going so well.”

“He has a boyfriend Dad.” The king looked shocked and the two boys exchanged nervous glances.

“But, since my boyfriend is not royalty, we were thinking that you could adopt him and then we would still have a marriage alliance between our countries.” The king nodded, puzzling the problem over in his head.

“That would not be easy, but I think we could manage that. Oh and Trent, you should go and say goodbye to your chief advisor, he has handed in his resignation and you should go and see him before he leaves.” Trent looked up for barely a second before turning on his heel and racing outside to his acacia tree, he had to get some flowers to give to Kane so he could try to explain himself.

\------

Trent arrived outside of Kane’s room in the servant’s quarters out of breath with a small branch of acacia flowers in his left hand. As he went to rap on the door it opened and he came face to face with Kane, who was standing there holding his bags. “Trent I- what are you doing here?”

“Well, my father told me you were leaving without saying goodbye and I wasn’t willing to let that happen.”

“You have to let me go at some point.”

“Only if you truly want to. Anyway, I got this for you.” Trent held out the branch of acacia and passed it to Kane. Kane looked sad and Trent started to explain. “Despite me loving flowers as much as I do, I have absolutely no idea what they mean. However I have been informed by a reliable source of the meaning of this flower, it's kind of ironic actually. This flower, my favorite flower, is mainly known as a symbol of friendship, but that isn't why I’m giving you this Kane. Yes yellow acacia is known for being a symbol of friendship but it is also known as a symbol of secret love. That’s why I’m giving this to you Kane, I'm secretly in love with you.” Kane blinked at Trent and started to cry silently. 

“So, you weren't friend zoning me? And you actually love me?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my God you lovely idiot. You know I love you too right? Why didn't you just tell me?”

“Uh? I'm a dumbass?”

“Fair point.”

“Hey!” Trent smiled at Kane, he couldn't believe that the beautiful man standing opposite him actually loved him. Kane pushed his bags back into his room and took Trent's hand into his own, the two men walked out into the garden. Trent would thank Chris for his part in this tomorrow. Right now he just wanted to be with Kane.


End file.
